


What's It Like

by KB9VCN



Category: El Hazard: The Magnificent World
Genre: Drama, F/F, F/M, Humor, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2002-03-31
Updated: 2002-03-31
Packaged: 2018-09-06 16:19:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8760244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KB9VCN/pseuds/KB9VCN
Summary: Written March 2002; drama/humor; about 2500 words.
This takes place some time after the end of the first OVA series.
This contains no explicit content, but it does contain (married) people talking about sex.  Reader discretion is advised.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Written March 2002; drama/humor; about 2500 words.
> 
> This takes place some time after the end of the first OVA series.
> 
> This contains no explicit content, but it does contain (married) people talking about sex. Reader discretion is advised.

"All right, you two," Nanami said. "I know there's something on your collective mind. Let's hear it."

Makoto and Ifurita looked at each other, and smiled.

The three of them ate lunch together at least once a week, usually at the Shinonome Diner, at Nanami's insistence. You two are turning into recluses, Nanami would say. It would do you good to get out of the palace more often.

But Makoto often had some new and amazing discovery to show off. Or, the Princess Rune Venus might have an unusually difficult financial problem, and she would discreetly ask for Nanami's advice. For these occasions, Nanami would come to the palace, three deluxe box lunches in hand, and they would eat on the balcony of Makoto's room. They had eaten at the palace today.

Nanami looked at Makoto and Ifurita with one eyebrow raised.

"Well, first, we, uh, have some good news," Makoto said, rubbing his neck. "And I'm sorry we didn't tell you sooner.

"We all know that she and I are going to be together... forever. But we've finally, uh... made it official."

Nanami just looked at them for a while.

"Oh," she finally said. "You're married."

Then Nanami looked at them awhile longer.

She suddenly shook her head and laughed. "Sorry. It took awhile to sink in. Well, goodness, congratulations. When did you do it? Does anyone else know?"

Makoto grinned. "Couple of days ago, here in the palace, we had a cleric in, and Miz and _sensei_ were witnesses. No one else. And about a week ago, we went back to Earth, and we went to a Justice of the Peace. With my parents.

"Nanami, I... we... really are sorry that we didn't tell you."

Ifurita spoke. "El-Hazard will never fully accept me. A public celebration in my honor would not have been appropriate. And with Makoto's complex... relationships?... It would have been unkind to celebrate this marriage with many of his friends."

Nanami gave them a reassuring smile. "I think people are more forgiving than that... But it's your decision, of course. And like you said, marriage was only a formality for you two."

Makoto grinned back. "Yeah... and we needed to get Miz off our backs. She nagged us about getting married every time she saw us. But for goodness' sake, don't tell her I said that."

They laughed.

"Well, the next time you come to the restaurant, we'll break a bottle of wine, and have a toast," Nanami said. "You'll at least allow your friend that much, yes?"

"Of course," Makoto agreed.

They sat silent for a few moments after that. The silence became uncomfortable. Makoto and Ifurita both studied the table.

"Ah... there's more, isn't there?" Nanami asked.

"Two more things," Makoto answered. "And neither of them are easy."

He reached inside his jacket, produced a sealed envelope, and gave it to Nanami. "My folks asked me to give this to you. It's, uh, from your parents. I'm sorry, but they made me promise to ask again.

"Nanami, your parents want to see you. We can take you back any time, you know. Just for a short visit."

More silence.

Ifurita spoke again. "Nanami? They do not blame you for disappearing. And they do not blame you for your brother."

And more silence.

Nanami finally sighed, and pocketed the envelope. "Let me read this. And let me think about it...

"Maybe... sometime later. Maybe."

She picked up her glass of tea and drained it, and sighed again. "Alright. Two more things, you said. You've already put me through an emotional wringer today. Whatever's left, it can't be any worse. Heh... wishful thinking, right?"

Another silence. But Nanami noticed a difference this time. Makoto looked dreadfully embarrassed, and Ifurita had an uncharacteristic mischievous look about her.

"Makoto?" asked Ifurita. "Since this was my idea, would you like for me to ask it?"

Makoto slouched. "Yes, please," he said, rather meekly.

_Ifurita's idea?_ Nanami thought. _This should be interesting._

Ifurita began. "Nanami... Makoto and I are now husband and wife. And it is my understanding, from Makoto's shared memories, and from what I have learned of human culture in the past few months, that husband and wife often share a physical intimacy as well as a spiritual one. Makoto and I have not yet done this."

Nanami gaped at Ifurita's bluntness. "Oh, Makoto!" she said sweetly. "You waited for marriage! Always the perfect gentleman."

Makoto slouched further. "Ngh..."

Ifurita continued. "Makoto is indeed... a 'perfect gentleman'? But this is not the only reason why we have not yet done this.

"I am far from a 'perfect lady.' I am not human, and I do not feel bound by human traditions. And I am... curious?... about sex. Humans seem to have an obsession with it. From our shared memories and our link, even Makoto has quite an... imagination?"

Makoto slouched even further, put a hand over his eyes and turned several shades of red. "Ifurita. PLEASE."

Ifurita put a hand on his shoulder. "Oh. I have said too much. I am sorry."

Then she smiled impishly at Nanami— and winked!?

Nanami was flabbergasted. _Poor Makoto,_ she thought— _and way to go Ifurita!_

"What I meant to say is, there is another problem," Ifurita said. "We waited for marriage to address it, because of Makoto's wishes. But there is no reason to wait to address it now.

"The problem is that I... can't. At least, not yet.

"For reasons unknown to us, when I was created, my physical form was designed to be as close to that of the human female as was possible. And I have been examined by the palace physicians.

"I am... infertile, of course. Demon gods were not meant to bear children." As Ifurita said this, Nanami heard a touch of sadness in Ifurita's voice.

"Otherwise, I am perfectly... normal? There is no physiological reason why I cannot have sex. Or enjoy it. But still, I can't. Demon gods were not meant to do this, either.

"So... I want to learn."

_Uh oh,_ Nanami thought. _I don't like where this is going._

"I have read all of the books in the royal library concerning human physiology. El-Hazard's medical science is actually quite advanced, as you know. But there are many things that I cannot learn from books.

"And I have assimilated many of Makoto's thought processes and reactions to stimuli. These have helped to make me more human in many ways. But he is male, and again, there are many things that I cannot learn from him.

"If you will allow it, I would like to learn from—"

"Hang on!" Nanami cut in. "Are you asking to sleep with me?"

"No. Makoto will help me to—"

"Whoah, whoah, WHOAH!! Makoto!? All three of us!?"

"Nanami," said Ifurita, with great kindness, but just a bit of impatience. "Please let me finish, and perhaps I can spare all of us further embarrassment. It is not easy for me to speak of these things, when they cause my love and my dear friend such discomfort.

"Perhaps 'learn' is a poor choice of words. But as an ultimate weapon, my greatest strength is the ability to analyze any attack and repeat it against an opponent. I used this ability to 'learn' the secrets of the Eye of God, and repeated its attack to first send Makoto, and you, to El-Hazard.

"And, as I said before, I have learned much of being human from Makoto. But I have learned something else from him, too.

"I have 'learned' his ability to directly communicate with the ancient technology of El-Hazard, like me, through a simple touch. But since he is human, I actually 'learned' something else... the ability to 'link back' to a human. Any human."

Nanami whistled. "Makoto, can she really do that now?"

"She's been doing it with me for some time," Makoto said. "At first, I always established our link by touching her. But now, either one of us can start the link with the other. She's never tried it on anyone else, but there's no reason why it shouldn't work."

"What I ask of you is this," Ifurita said. "I wish to 'link' with you, and 'learn' only what I need... to be Makoto's wife. And Makoto will help me, to make sure that I don't 'learn' anything else. Makoto and I have refined our technique since we bared our souls to each other, and I can, and will, respect your privacy.

"Will you allow it?" Ifurita asked. "Will you let me do this?"

Nanami breathed deeply. "Why me?" she asked.

"This is not something to be asked lightly," Ifurita replied. "In fact, there are very few of whom we could ask such a thing. And this is a matter of some delicacy, as I am sure you will agree by now. We wished to ask someone who could be discreet.

"And... dear Nanami, I hope you will forgive my saying this... I know that you had a place in Makoto's heart before me. And if things had been different, you might have been with him instead. Perhaps, in some small way, this will allow a part of you to be with him."

Ifurita breathed deeply herself. But then, the impish smile returned. "Of course... if you do not wish to do this... we could always ask Shayla..."

Nanami held her hand up. "Enough. Ifurita... have you ever considered going into sales?"

Ifurita was genuinely confused. "Pardon?" But Makoto smiled.

Nanami rose. "Yeah, alright. I'm in. What do we have to do? Strap me into one of Makoto's crazy machines, I suppose—"

Ifurita looked up at her in surprise. "No... but you wish to do it now?" She turned to Makoto. "Can we?"

"I don't know why not," Makoto said. "But it's not my decision. It's between the two of you."

"Alright." Ifurita smiled. "Nanami, please sit. And relax. Makoto?..."

She gave one hand to him. He took it in his and closed his eyes. "Whenever you're ready, love."

Ifurita offered her other hand to Nanami. "Please take my hand, Nanami, and close your eyes. And I will do the rest."

Nanami took her hand, and closed her eyes.

And everything went black.

—

Darkness. Infinitely deep black darkness.

But not complete darkness. Points of light shining. Some twinkling like stars. Some drifting like asteroids. Some streaking and flaring like comets.

Nanami couldn't move. Or she was adrift in space, and there was nothing to move in, or against. Or there was no reason to move. Or all three.

But it didn't matter. It was alright. Everything was alright.

A light flared before her, far away. It grew larger and brighter as it approached her, at an incredible speed. But it slowed as it drew closer.

It took the shape of a woman. An impossibly beautiful woman.

She could only be an angel.

Her skin glowed like the smooth surface of a full moon. Her blue eyes were deep and calm, like the oceans of El-Hazard, or Earth. Her gently flowing hair was the color of a spring afternoon sky.

Her smile was a galaxy of stars in a summer night sky.

She was floating before Nanami now. She held Nanami's face in her soft warm hand, and kissed Nanami on the cheek. Then she smiled again.

Words. This place was silent, but Nanami heard words. The angel did not move her lips, did not stop smiling, but she spoke.

Thank you for sharing this with me, the angel said.

And everything went white.

—

"Nanami! Oh no! Nanami!"

"Nanami! Please! Say something!"

Without opening her eyes, she raised her free hand and touched her cheek, where the angel had kissed her. She felt tears.

She breathed out softly. Then she whispered. "Beautiful..."

Then, with her eyes still closed, Nanami spoke.

"Makoto. Oh, Makoto. I'm so sorry. Now I know what it's like. I wish I could take back every word I said, every thought I had while you were trying to find her. How did you stay sane long enough to find her? How could anyone lose that and not go mad?

"And Ifurita. Your creators must have been fools, or madmen. Only fools or madmen would create something as magical as you, and then use you to kill..."

Finally, Nanami opened her eyes. Ifurita came into focus before her. Then Nanami's tears blurred her vision.

"IFURITA!!"

Nanami fell forwards and embraced her, sobbing like a child. 

—

Ifurita still held one arm around Nanami's shoulders. Makoto crouched in front of them, offering Nanami another glass of tea. "Are you sure you're alright? You really weren't acting like yourself..."

Nanami took the glass in both hands and smiled shakily. "Yeah... You can't give a girl her first profound spiritual experience and not expect her to freak out..."

She suddenly looked up at both of them. "But don't either of you dare apologize again. Don't be sorry for that. That was just so beautiful..."

Then Nanami smiled at them, more steadily now. "Although, you might want to be more careful when you do that with other people... unless you want to start a cult of Ifurita worshippers...

"Anyway. Enough of my babbling. Did it... did it work?"

Ifurita smiled back at her. "Yes... Yes, it did work. I can feel it..."

Nanami stood and picked up the empty lunch boxes. "Then it's time for me to be going."

She waved down their concern. "Please. I'm fine. Actually, I'm better than I've been in a long time.

"Makoto. Let me read that letter first. But I think that I'd like to go back to Earth... Maybe... sometime soon. Maybe.

"And Ifurita. I don't think my poor cynical business-woman's heart could handle that again any time soon. But... Ifurita... would you link with me again someday? I don't know if I have anything else to offer you..."

Ifurita took her hand. "You will always have your love. And mine. Yes, I will do it again. Whenever you are ready."

Nanami hugged her again. Then she walked away. But she stopped at the door and looked back.

"Oh, Ifurita? Heh. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

—

"Makoto? She is truly a wonderful person, isn't she?"

"Yes. She certainly is. I had no idea that she would have a celestial vision like that. And her, of all people. Was it anything like that for you, the first time I touched you?"

"No. It might be different each time two different people link."

"Could be... oh. I'm sorry. Are you alright? If that worked, you've just assimilated a lot of new data, the most since..."

Ifurita didn't answer. Instead, she kissed him.

She had kissed Makoto before... but not like this.

Then she smiled at him.

She had smiled at him before... but not like this.

Makoto gulped. "Oh boy. Ifurita? Remember, you're still a demon god. So, please... be gentle with me."


End file.
